Lisa Elrene of 110 Pounds and Counting explains how she lost 110 pounds and how she has kept it off for 4 years. She and Nancy discuss Nancy’s weight loss and how Nancy can deal with the changes to her life. If you have lost weight or want to lose weight, listen so you can learn key points for success over the long haul!

Nancy’s weight loss is over 100 pounds. Here are pictures of her at the same air show 3 years apart. You can read more about Nancy’s weight loss at the Green Smoothie Girl Website

Losing weight can have a dark side and we discuss how losing over 100 pounds has had some consequences Nancy never intended. How people relate to her and how she relates to herself are not what she expected them to be. If you have lost weight and struggled to keep it off, listen because some of the answer to why might be in this discussion.

Angela Bussio, best-selling author, stress expert and creator of Real Stress Solutions discusses how to help your child destress. Angela provides great tips and guidance. For more information from her, check out her website Real Stress Solutions.

After 4 lessons at Sundance Ladies Day, I decided that I needed to keep going and I signed up for another 4 lessons. The experience was different the second time around. I did not take my daughter (how much school can one kid miss?), I already knew what I was getting in to, I had a different experience with the instructors and I had some actual snow to ski on for one of the days.

Angela Bussio, best-selling author, stress expert and creator of Real Stress Solutions discusses what signs you should look for in your kids that show they are feeling stressed. Angela provides great tips and guidance. For more information from her, check out her website Real Stress Solutions.

When I started this Sundance Ladies Day skiing journey 4 weeks ago, I was tackling something that I thought I would NEVER do in my life. I was happy to be the hot chocolate mama and sit in the lodge waiting for everyone else to ski down to me. I was willing to be on the sidelines because I thought it was too hard to learn as an adult. I thought that after having kids and medical and health issues that there was no way I could learn to ski. Luckily, Linda Hale never gave up asking me to learn to ski because today, I did it! I made it safely down Sundance 5 times (yes, that is a FIVE) today and have video to prove it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puiQz3dh8cw

How did I do it? I have to thank Sundance Ladies Day and Cody Hale. Sundance has been teaching women to ski for years and they know how to create the right atmosphere. The price is so right and the teachers are so great that it really is the best deal around! The cost of the 4 weeks of lessons is about what it would have cost for lift tickets. How could I pass that up?

Now, if I could just feel comfortable going up alone with my kids . . . So . . . . I think I am going to take another 4 weeks of Ladies Day! I want to feel comfortable with myself on the mountain.

This time at Sundance Ladies Day, I actually did something closer to skiing. Don’t pay too much attention to the flailing arms, but look what I did on my second day actually getting off the lift at the first stop. Can you believe it? I could not. In only three lessons, I am going down the mountain! Even though I fell quite a bit, I am so glad to be up on skis instead of down on the snow. I think I am getting the hang of this skiing thing. I can’t wait to come back next week! Cody has been such a great teacher and it has been so wonderful to get to know him as we have been sitting on the lift.

Such a wonderful experience and now I can ski a bit! I am looking forward to learning more and getting better. I don’t have any illusion that I am done learning, but I am on my way! No more bunny hill for me.

This week’s Sundance Ladies Day lesson was not half as bad as last week’s. My daughter and I had an easier time walking to the lessons in our boots and our angels were there to help again. Thank goodness those lovely ladies are there to help the stranded.

Once we got to the Ski School, my daughter took off happily with her instructor. I met up with Cody with a bit of fear in my heart. He had told me last week that we would be taking the lift up for sure today. I cannot even imagine the idea of getting on the lift, not to mention getting off the lift. It is one of my greatest fears.

Cody and I took off to the bunny hill and after several semi-successful runs (with fewer falls), Cody said I was ready to take the lift. However, I first had to make it down from the bunny hill to the lift–a very daunting task for someone on her first lesson on a day when there is very little snow to soften the fall. Thanks to Cody and his patience, we made it down to the lift. I was so scared. I have been on the lift in the summer with a mountain bike, but that is one thing–no storm trooper boots with sticks strapped to your legs to get in the way of getting off. How was I supposed to get off and not fall off?

Cody promised me that I would be able to get off successfully. He has this ability to make me feel calm and trust him. So, I went with him. We chatted for the few minutes it took to get to the first stop–not long enough for me. When the first stop came, he guided my elbow and somehow, I got off the lift without falling. It was a great achievement for me.

And then I saw it–the mountain! It was the bunny hill on steroids. How was I supposed to get down from there? People were swishing around me with smiles on their faces, enjoying themselves. But I was stunned by the task that was ahead of me.

I really don’t know how I made it down. I fell a few times and it took us about 30 minutes to get down, but I made it. I actually skied down the first stop! My daughter passed me several times while I was trying to get down. She was so happy. Oh, to be small! I am proud that I made it. Even if I never go up again, I made it down!

Today was one of the hardest days I have had in a long time–just getting from the car to the Sundance Ladies Day ski school took everything I had. How do skiers walk in these dumb boots wearing these hot clothes and carrying these heavy skis and poles. Make this times two since I had my daughter with me and had to carry her stuff and help her walk in the boots. Luckily, no one was filming us because we probably looked very silly. When we finally tromped to Sundance, we were met by a legion of angels–women there to help lost people find their way around. They helped us find how to finish registration for Ladies Day and Ski School and one lady was even kind enough to walk back to my car and retrieve my poles which I forgot. Then, these angels helped us walk to the ski school and even gave Anna a certificate for a free hot chocolate at the end of her lesson (I guess I wasn’t fooling anyone that I was ready to be anything than the hot chocolate mama).

My daughter, of course, was ready and excited to learn to ski. She took off with her teacher, Kaleb, and was happy as a clam. Never having been to Sundance Ladies Day , I was very pleased to find out that my ski instructor would not be a college-aged kid who does not understand the workings of a older body. To my great joy, my instructor turned out to be Linda’s husband Cody. After years of convincing me to learn to ski, Linda could not be my teacher, but Cody stepped in. The touch of grey in his hair gave me confidence that I was in good hands (along with the fact that everyone kept telling me he was the best instructor around).

That was the best part of the day. I actually want to forget most of the rest of today. While my daughter whizzed around me doing everything with ease, I had a hard time doing anything. I thought it was bad while I was at the bottom of the hill (trying to make small turns and shift my weight and move the skis around), but then, Cody and I went up to the bunny hill. Walking up there in those boots almost put me under!

Surprisingly, I did great at the tow rope–thanks to lots of tubing runs at Soldier’s Hollow. But then, the real test came–getting down the bunny hill. I have bruises on my bruises. I fell so many times and I don’t think I will ever get the hang of skiing. Four lessons is not going to be enough.

All I can say is that I feel bad for Cody who had to hold my skis so I did not fly down to my demise. Why did I ever think I could do this? Actually, it was a bit fun and I could see if I can get the hang of this, I will probably enjoy myself. Well, I guess I will be back next week to try again. Learning something for the first time is always hard.

As an FYI, my daughter conquered the bunny hill before I even got to it and took the lift to the first stop where she skied down with her instructor. Oh, to be young, foolish and close to the ground! We ended our day with hot chocolate, of course!

Heather Von St. James tells her story of how after giving birth to a beautiful baby girl, she discovered she had mesothelioma and the path her life has taken since then. For any mother struggling with an illness, her story will give you heart. If you have never heard of mesothelioma, listen up because it is a cancer on the rise.

If your child struggles at school and you wonder what might be going on, we discuss things to check and how to help your child. A solution might be as simple as a trip to the right optometrist and a few simple exercises or you might want to have an evaluation from a school or private psychologist to pinpoint a learning disability (even when you have an incredibly bright child).

You might need to have that talk sooner than you think. Diana Ruschhaupt of the Ruth Lilly Health Education Center shares timing, tips and resources for you to make the discussion easier on you and your children. Also check out the resources she recommends:

Losing weight is hard and sometimes we stop trying for reasons that may or may not be worth it. Hear how to overcome stinkin thinkin and get back on track. Stacey kindly shares her struggles and lets Kristi lead her in a Breakthrough.

The creators of Kristi Approved, a program that includes all of Stacey’s rules for getting healthy and losing weight, chat with us. If you are struggling to get back you body, listen up and learn how to Live the Life. This show is packed with 7 Keys for Success and how you can start right now using the Life the Life FREE 7-day start plan.

The MOM Podcast hosts will be using this program and will be reporting on their successes in upcoming shows. If you are interested in this topic, email us and join our Fit Moms discussion by email. We email to each other with results every Friday.

Isa Herrera, author of Ending Female Pain dedicated her career to helping women find relief from conditions that arise from pregnancy, labor and birth. She discusses her book, common problems and a special Webinar being held January 24, 2010 on C-Section issues.